KU's Dezmon Briscoe To Enter NFL Draft
Dec. 4, 2009
LAWRENCE, Kan. – Kansas wide receiver Dezmon Briscoe has decided to forego his senior season and enter the NFL draft he announced Friday. Briscoe, who was named All-Big 12 First Team Tuesday, is a 6-3, 202-pound junior from Dallas, Texas.
“I sat down before the Missouri game on Friday and talked to my mom and Monday I sat down and talked to Coach (Mark) Mangino and some of the coaching staff and came to the decision that I am going to declare for the NFL draft this year,” Briscoe said. “The Kansas program has really done a lot for me. There is no other school that I would have rather been at. I want to thank the University of Kansas for the opportunity to play for their football team.”
He finished his three-year KU career as the school’s all-time receiving yardage leader with 3,240. That figure ranks fourth in Big 12 history. He produced KU’s top-two yardage seasons in each of the last two years with 1,407 in 2008 and 1,337 in 2009.
His 219 career receptions where seven shy of teammate Kerry Meier for the school record, while his 31 career touchdown receptions were 15 better than any Jayhawk in school history.
In addition to his career yardage and touchdown reception records, Briscoe also owns the KU single-game yardage record (269 at Oklahoma in 2008) and school records for 100-yard receiving games for a single season and a career. He had seven 100-yard games in both 2008 and 2009 and finished his career with 14.
This past season Briscoe pulled in 84 passes for 1,337 yards and nine touchdowns. Through games of Nov. 28 he ranks fifth in the NCAA in receiving yards per game (121.55) and eighth in receptions per game (7.64). He is also 13th in all-purpose yardage per game (162.55).
“He is easily the most talented player I have ever coached,” said KU wide receivers coach David Beaty. “It was a thrill to coach him and watch what he could do on a day-to-day basis. I am looking forward to watching him in the NFL.”
“Dezmon had a great career here at Kansas and had a lot of outstanding achievements,” said former Jayhawk Head Coach Mark Mangino. “Dezmon and his family are ready for the challenge of the NFL. Dez will be highly successful and I wish him nothing but the very best.”
The last two Kansas players who left early for the NFL were cornerback Aqib Talib and offensive tackle Anthony Collins, who declared for the draft after the 2007 season. Talib was the 20th overall pick by Tampa Bay, while Collins was a fourth-round selection (112th overall) of the Cincinnati Bengals in the 2008 draft.
Four Jayhawks were drafted in 2008 as tight end Derek Fine was a fourth-round pick (132nd overall) by Buffalo and wide receiver Marcus Henry was taken in the sixth round by the New York Jets. No KU players were selected in the 2009 draft.
